The Informed Traveler
The Informed Traveler
Online Passport Renewals & Lessons From A Cruise Ship Life
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Renewing your passport has become a bit simpler as you can now renew it online, so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes joins me to go through the process. Then we'll talk with the author of a new book titled Sales to Success: How a Cruise Ship Salesman Turned Jewelry, Stories, and Human Connection into a Life of Adventure. He's Rick Domanski and he's sailed the world's oceans as a cruise ship sales professional, luxury retail promoter, and shopping expert. He was also my supervisor when I did the same job many years ago while working on the cruise ships. So we're going to talk about the cruise ship life, what we learned and how he put it all together in his new book.
Well, hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast, a weekly travel podcast, where our goal is to help you become a more informed traveler. And I'm your host, Randy Sharman. Renewing your passport has become a bit simpler as you can now renew it online. So in a few seconds, travel expert Onanda Forbes joins me to go through the process. And then we'll talk to the author of a new book titled Sales to Success: How a Cruise Ship Salesman Turned Jewelry, Stories, and Human Connection into a Life of Adventure. He's Rick Domansky, and he sailed the world's oceans as a cruise ship sales professional, luxury retail promoter, and shopping expert. He was also my supervisor when I did the same job many years ago while working on the cruise ships. So we're going to talk about the cruise ship life, what we learned, and how he put it all together in his new book. It should be fun. But
Online Passport Renewals
SPEAKER_01first, let's kick things off chatting with travel expert Onanta Forbes, who joins us each week to talk about the latest travel news, trends, and travel tips in general. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and X at Onanta Forbes. OnantaForbes.com is her website. Hello, Onanta.
SPEAKER_00Hey, how are you?
SPEAKER_01I'm well, thank you. Some good news about passport renewals in the past week or so where you can renew your passport online.
SPEAKER_00I think this is a great idea. And hopefully, um, I haven't gone through the process, but hopefully I can hear from from travelers and uh listeners of the podcast um what they think. But it's supposedly supposed to come become a whole lot easier. And, you know, some people have been putting it off because they just don't want to stand in line or deal with the mailing uh paperwork. So the federal government has expanding uh or expanded its online passport renewal um to all eligible adult Canadians, and it's supposed to modernize passport services, reduce weight at passport offices, and make travel preparation more convenient. So eligible Canadians can now renew their passport. It's called the Immigration, Refugee and Citizen Canada, Citizenship Canada. It's IRCC. It's an online portal and it allows everything to happen from the comfort of your home. So to be eligible, you must be at least 16 years old when your current passport is issued, and you must um it must be a regular five or 10-year adult passport that was issued in the last 15 years. And your passport must be expiring within the next six months or have expired more than six months ago. And I'm just gonna interject here because in previous to this, if your passport expired, it was not a renewal, it was like a applying for a whole new passport, which encompassing more in information and and uh different um other components that you had to do. So I think this is an interesting thing. Um from a from a personal perspective, I like getting the 10-year passport just because five years, you kind of have to start thinking about it within four and a half years. So it just gives you more value for your money. Um, in addition to this new renewal process, um you it you it can't be damaged, lost, stolen, or your personal information, including your name, date of birth, place of birth, uh, gender identifier, must remain the same. So if you've changed any of these key personal information or applying for a child's passport, you need to use the regular application process. And it's uh you can um do this application on your computer or mobile device. So most people have that. Maybe not a mobile device, maybe there's some holdouts there, but hopefully most people have a computer. Or, you know, um, I'm gonna make a plug because I really enjoy um having access to the Calvary Public Library. There's computers there that you can use as well. Um, you can upload a digital passport photo that was taken in person by a commercial photographer, provide digital copies of any required supporting documents, complete the application, and pay securely online. So you don't have to print forms, there's no mailing paperwork, there's no standing in line, provided you're eligible. Um, a few uh things to keep in mind before you apply online renewals are currently available only both if you have your have a home and mailing address in Canada. Um, don't leave your renewal until just before your trip. The government recommends using the online renewal service only if you don't need your passport for at least 20 business days plus mailing time. Uh, once your application is accepted for processing, your current passport is canceled and you can no longer use it for travel. But the good news is you'll be able to track the process of your application online from start to finish. And then uh, you know, for seasoned travelers, you know this really well. Don't wait until your passport expires before checking it. Most countries require passports to be valid at least six months beyond your travel dates. And even if it's still technically valid, you could be denied boarding entry if it doesn't meet the destination's requirements. So take a take a few extra minutes to make sure your digital photo passport forwarded passport photo meets all the government specifications. Incorrect or unacceptable photos remain one of the most common reasons passport applications are delayed. And actually, that happened to me when I did the passport in the regular process. Um, I went to this location that's supposed to be known for taking their passports, went to the passport office, and it was too dark to photo. So I luckily there was a photo um uh stop downstairs and I got it renewed and had to go back in line though. But it does it does happen.
SPEAKER_01That happened to me too.
SPEAKER_00Really?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, there was uh a shadow uh in the above my head or something like that. And so they they rejected it and I had to get a new one. I know that was that was um previous, like I just renewed my passport just in the last fall, I think it was. So I'm good for another nine years before I have to do this all over again. But it is good news. By then I hope they had ironed out all the bugs.
SPEAKER_00Yes, absolutely. And then once your new passport arrives, don't tuck it away until your next trip. Sign it, um, make a secure digital copy of the identification page, and consider leaving another copy with a trusted family member or friend. Even uh like you know, if your um passport is ever stolen or lost while traveling, having this information readily available can make replacing it much easier. Um and it's also a good reminder um your passport is only one part of your travel documentation. You know, before every international trip, check with whether your destination requires a visa, an electronic travel authorization, proof of onward travel, or other entry documents. And requirements can change, so it's worth uh reconfirming them before you uh uh book or you depart. And for families, just remember that the children's passports are not eligible for online renewal and it has to be renewed through standard application process, and um, they have a shorter validity period than adults' passports. They are five years, where we could be 10 or 5 years as an adult. Um, and then if you um, you know, if you do have a major international trip plan, don't rely on estimated processing times. So whenever possible, wait until your new passport is in hand um before making non-refundable travel arrangements, or if it's like eight to a year in advance. I think I think you're safe then, but not if it's a a month or so. Just be careful of that. We don't want any well, we've I've definitely seen it, like there could be a, and it has happened, a strike with the passport office. That does really change processing times.
SPEAKER_01I wonder if this is uh a result of the backlash that the the passport office received after all those complaints of uh slow times.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, some people were very frantic because they just didn't know when their passport was coming. So, you know, it's if it that it is, if that's uh a learning, that's a good learning. And it was good that they um that they took care of it or they you know saw the issue and they adjusted accordingly because I think it's really important. Um, just to share with you current passport fees. So for a five-year adult passport, it's a hundred and uh twenty-two dollars and fifty cents. For a 10-year adult passport, it's $163.50. And for a child passport, it's $58.50. Um, additional fees apply for expedite urgent or overseas applications, and you can view the full details and submit payments through the Governor of Canada passport portal.
SPEAKER_01Um it's it's always a good idea to check when your passport expires because you don't want to have that panic situation when you're leaving and suddenly realize a couple of days before you go that your passport doesn't qualify or has expired. So and even if you don't want to do the online one, it it reduces the lineup, uh making the actual in-person uh application uh speedier, I would think, too.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's a very good point. You know, that that that does, that's a good uh, you know, I guess result of this new um process. So good point. Um, I think we were you know, people that live in rural areas might enjoy this because sometimes you would have to go into uh you know into Calgary or into another destination. So I think rural Canadians might enjoy this too as well.
SPEAKER_01Good stuff. Yes. Next week, uh you're going to be away, so give us a teaser.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yes. So I am lucky enough. We're traveling on the Oceana Vista. Um, we are going um through the UK and into different parts of uh northern Europe, and hopefully we're gonna get to see an eclipse that's there. So I'll get to tell you about, you know, my trip over um with WestJet, going into Belfast, and then um starting my adventure for 15 days. Uh so looking forward to it to telling you about the ship and the destinations.
SPEAKER_01Sounds exciting. Can't wait to hear about it. Onantha Forbes is a travel expert. You can follow her adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and ex at Onanta Forbes, and her website is onantaforbes.com. Uh, looking forward to hearing more about your adventures next week. Thanks, Onanta.
SPEAKER_00Have a good week.
SPEAKER_01This is the Informed Traveler Podcast. I'm Randy Sharman. Just want to remind you of our website, theinformedraveler.org. That's where you can find our contact page if you have any questions or comments about the podcast. You can also email me too with any questions you might have. My email address is randy at the informedtraveler.org. You can check out our social media pages too at facebook.com slash informed traveler, Instagram at informed traveler, or on X at InformTraveler. That's where you'll find a number of videos and photos from our recent and past interviews and stories. Plus, you can sign up for our monthly newsletter. It's released at the beginning of every month. Our August issue is available now. Just go to our website, theinformtraveler.org, click on the newsletter button, and it'll take you right there. Or better yet, you can subscribe to it and have it arrive in your inbox each month.
Lessons From A Cruise Ship Life
SPEAKER_01So over the years, doing this show, I've had a few listeners ask me to share what it was like to live and work on board a cruise ship. And I was always hesitant because it was more than 20 years ago and a lot has changed in the cruise industry. But there's a new book out now titled Sales to Success: How a Cruise Ship Salesman Turned Jewelry, Stories, and Human Connection into a Life of Adventure. And the author just so happens to be my supervisor when I did the same job many years ago while working on cruise ships. He's Rick Domansky, and he's been a cruise ship sales professional, luxury retail promoter, and shopping expert for 35 years on the ships. So Rick joins me now to talk about cruise ship life, what he learned, and how we put it all together in his new book. So thanks for doing this, Rick. Welcome to the program. Hey Randy, good to be with you. Well, let's start right from the beginning. How did you get involved in this crazy world of living and working on a cruise ship?
SPEAKER_03It's kind of a unique situation how I got started. Um, I was uh man about town uh in Chicago. I'm originally from the steel city of Gary, Indiana, on the southeast side uh of Chicago, right in that area where they're thinking they might uh move the new uh Chicago Bears Stadium in northwest Indiana. Uh went to uh Indiana University and uh majored in communications. Uh that's a good good place for me. Uh um science and uh mathematics were not my forte. Um talking, I think, is my game. Then I went to Chicago and uh got a job in advertising, got a job in media and uh sold spots uh for century broadcasting, um, did a lot of work around town, did ring announcing uh for a variety of uh independent and professional wrestling organizations, uh, owned a uh small part of a recording studio called Studio West. We had a band called Clone that I still think should have made it, but uh, you know, that's the business. But they toured around the Midwest, some great pop music. And then one day, a friend of mine, Dave Freeman, and Dave is still uh the jazz master of Chicago. He was on uh Chicago Jazz Radio uh 106 for many, many years in uh public broadcasting and so forth. And Dave uh collaborated with me on quite a few music projects. Uh some of the big blues names that you might uh know, people like Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Lefty Diz, Coco Taylor, and uh uh Pinetop Perkins, and and and on goes the list, um, a big part of my life. And Dave and I were very close. He went to a Mother's Day dinner in 1991, and his mother knew another mother who walked in with her daughter, Barbara, and the two uh moms, like, oh my God, Wendy, yeah, nice to see you, and this and that. They joined tables and had a wonderful time. And Barbara, uh, of course, uh was chatting up Dave, and she said, You know, Dave, I I understand that you're a big star on the radio and so forth, and uh live music and this and that. And Dave said, Well, I don't I don't want to be modest or whatever. She goes, Listen, we've got this new position called port lecturer on the cruise ships. It's somebody who's in charge of the tax and duty-free shopping, and you make presentations on board, you're in charge of a program, you work with all the merchants in the ports, and just think about it the sun and the fun, you know, seeing all those beautiful islands, you're a young guy, you know, the ladies, what can I say? And Dave said, No, I've got too many commitments, I've got a life here, but I'm gonna tell you something. I've got your guy. And that night he called me, Randy, and said, Rick, your ship has literally sailed in. And three days later, I auditioned. Three weeks later, I was in Miami Beach for extensive training. And then shortly thereafter, I joined my first ship, the wonderful old SS Azure Seas. And that started 35 years at sea.
SPEAKER_01Well, I've read your book, Sales to Success. Um I the thing I liked about it, it's a short read. Like you're not investing a ton of time in this, which is uh good for someone like me. But you better for everybody. Right, but you get to the point and and you don't mince words, and I like that. And I think it gives time for the readers um to absorb what you're saying a little bit. And I should say too, I think I look at this book differently than most people might look at it because I've done your job, and people should know that you were my boss. So so I I know where you're coming from, where many other people may not know where you're coming from, but it's not just about uh sales and cruise ship life. It's it's about like you you you you tie things in together about just uh life in general.
SPEAKER_03Well, what we try to do is pack the book with true stories. It has to be true, and quite frankly, what a lot of what happened out there is stranger than fiction. Tell true stories because the true stories were better than anything anybody could make up. We try to get into practical lessons, proven principles, and and then bring it into a bit of a philosophy because uh, you know, what you look at is the tactics, the mindset, the heart that turns everyday interactions into what we experience, which were extraordinary results. And it all comes down to this, and this is what you learned out there, Randy, what I learned out there, what dawns on most people when they get into the business and actually spend some time with it, that success begins with human connection. That is the beginnings of it, because I firmly believe that cruising for the money is the best vacation on planet Earth. And of course, the ship, and my goodness, uh I know uh the ships that you and I sailed on. I am older than you, I was had one foot in the old school. Um we uh the the industry uh upgraded and modified, and uh the ships became bigger and better, and right now they're floating uh resorts. But what we learned there, and what I learned there, is that people are social creatures, and what cruising does for people, whether you're an introvert, uh whether you're just shy, when you go on a cruise, by the time you leave after your traditional seven-day cruise, you're a bit of a different person because it's a people person connecting function. I don't care if it's the casino, I don't care if it's the grandma's bragging party, remember that one? Uh whether it's gonna be trivia contest, whether it's gonna be dining with the same folks on the early or the late seating, uh, going on tours with people, seeing new things, you or just waiting in line to get off the ship. The thing about it is you're gonna be forced to be with your fellow man, like it or not, and after a day or so of that, 99.9% of everybody says, I don't like it, I love it.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna say that too. I still I I I agree with you wholeheartedly. It is the best vacation for your money, and I always say that. And and one of the things that stuck uh stood out uh for me in your book was uh the one the chapter where you call Cruise Ship Life Becomes Its Own World. And I think you you talk about one of your mentors and say and he was saying to you, if you stay longer than five years, you're you're gonna be stuck in there, not in a bad way, but I agree with that. I like it it it duck with me because I did it for two and a half years, certainly not 35 like you did, but I could already uh feel it. Every time I came home, um it was harder to relate to people that live the normal routine because people should know like when you're on a cruise ship, you're as soon as you step out your cabin door, you're on. And it may sound like you're working 24-7. You don't, because you have you don't have any days off, but you have a lot of downtime because you're not wasting time cooking, you're not wasting time doing laundry, you know what I mean? Uh you're not grocery shopping, you're not vacuuming or cleaning, so you do have a lot of spare time.
SPEAKER_03Well, the thing about it is, is what what what amazed me when I first got on board, and even though it was an old school ship, uh the Azure Seas, we used to have to take our laundry up the hill in Puerto Rico to the laundromat.
SPEAKER_01So things did change by the time I got on.
SPEAKER_03But um, in this day and age, uh the the crew bars, the the the gymnasiums, uh the laundry facilities and what have you for the for the crew is is is is is really really good. The thing I tell people, they're like, you know, the one thing I did not miss in being in Chicago is commuting. Yes. You're not in a car. I mean you you live where you work. You walk outside your door and that's one thing I told people that, you know, underneath the deck, when you get down below the Fiesta deck, which is maybe a a deck four, down below that you're going to have the crew, the crew quarters, the crew decks, what they call I-95, that long runway that uh uh uh so many of the uh crew areas come off of that the the crew messes uh the gyms the this and the that it's a separate and different world uh a multicultural world um a happy world because you have to be happy or yeah or you're gonna go home you know that that's just the way it is but the thing about it is you save a lot of money there's no rent involved like you say there's no grocery shopping uh involved uh all the money that you make is money that you keep and and that's a very very good good thing and um but the thing about it is it's seductive. You know the thing is if it's one day Wednesday well we must be in Grand Cayman yeah exactly your life is it your life is kind of planned for you you know what's going to happen you know a lot of the uncertainty of life is taken out because you have you know uh when you get on board that first night you're gonna meet the new people on uh you know whether you're helping out with shore excursions or this or that you I always did because I met a lot of folks and promotes your first uh shopping talk which is usually going to be on the first C Day earlier in the day later in the day you're gonna have a diamond and gemstone seminar uh in the evenings prior to the ports of call you're gonna have those office hours uh on the main deck where you meet and greet people and um give them the personal attention uh that they really love and that they deserve then you know you're going into your port days and you're gonna be the first guy off that ship then you're gonna head into the stores I don't know I mean think about it I had nine merchants in San Juan at 29 to 31 in St. Thomas and then around about 910 uh in Nassau you know you go to the other side of the Caribbean 1415 in uh Jamaica Montigo Bay Orocho Rios you've got about 30 in brand Cayman Grand Cayman the luxury shopping capital of the Caribbean and then Cozumel is just off the chain what they've done there with everything the tours the shopping uh the diving the uh the um Mayan culture and everything is it's just I don't know uh I I know you know this Randy but I I I think most people they would say what's the most visited place in all of Mexico by uh tourists we say Mexico City or Puerto Vallarta something like that no the answer is Casumel with all of those cruise ships you've got four or five ships there every day except Sunday because it is Mexico after all a day of rest in the good lord but every other day it is jam-packed and you combine that with the uh legendary dive industry and all of the timeshare and all the condos and everything like that people might not be there for a long time but they're there for a good time and they are there and it is amazing the amount of people uh that visit Mexico and get their first taste of it in Cozumel. And you know once you have a taste you want to come back.
SPEAKER_01Did you have a favorite port? You mentioned Cozumel and Cozumel if for people who haven't been there the it's it's like a for someone doing the job of that we were doing a porton shopping uh guide where you go visit all these stores it wasn't a loop you had to either start one one one way and it was a one way walk either back to the ship or like it was a long walk and I always started at the furthest distance first because I knew by the time I got to the last store my bags would be packed full of promotional items and all kinds of things.
SPEAKER_03But did you have a favorite rule going back to your ship.
SPEAKER_01That is exactly right did you have a favorite or though I loved uh St.
SPEAKER_03Lucia you know what I was just in Saint Lucia uh with my uh last assignment and you know St. uh St. Lucia or Saint Lucia as they say in Indium very very British still there's quite a bit of the old colonial um atmosphere there it's a beautiful beautiful island a little slower a little bit more laid back a little bit more traditional two different uh cruise ship terminals it really depends on uh you know where where you're going to dock how you're going to experience the island but I'm with you I love San Lucia you know it's funny you have little favorite things about different islands that make them uh special for you I have to say I will always always love St. Thomas Shalot Amalie or Charlotte Amalia if you will depending if you have a Norwegian or an Italian captain but it's the wonderland of duty free shopping and back in the day before Costco before shopping television before the internet if you wanted a good deal on a diamond ring you went to St. Thomas I mean you know back in the 90s before uh everything changed it it it's it's still very very powerful and strong today but it's a volcanic island uh 12 miles long by eight miles across and straight up and down winding roads beautiful beautiful beaches azure blue water wonderful people it's the USA I always like that because I could go to the post office I could go to the bank you know it was all US uh all the way I loved it because it was a major league another one I'm gonna tell you and this one is not going to be on most people's list and I'm gonna put it there because it was wonderful to me and that was Montego Bay Jamaica. Yeah I've been there I enjoyed my time there and I'll tell you Jamaica to me is one of the most incredible magical places on earth you have this island with about three million people and think how powerful it is the cuisine of Jamaica they have two or three musical genres you know reggae reggae tone ska and so forth who in the world in the middle of the Caribbean has a bobsledding team in the Olympics you know what I mean I mean these people are strong strong people it's a multicultural uh environment um it's not perfect for everybody the people are very very aggressive that's for sure because there's not enough money for everybody somebody will find a stick on the ground and try to sell it to you in Montego Bay we we had some of the native uh uh uh Jamaican folks but we also had what I called the Bengal tigers the great Cindy Indian merchants uh uh at the city center and the same thing uh in Ocho Rios and throughout the Caribbean you know many people may uh not know why all of these jewelry stores of course uh you have different operators but hundreds of these locations throughout the Caribbean are run by the uh Indian families from the old province of Cindy the Caribbean would not be the same without without the wonderful Cindy merchants you know we have our our our wonderful Jewish merchants uh from the Diamond District uh some of the biggest concerns like Diamonds International and in effie and then on the Mexican side uh you've got some of the big big Mexican operators and all three groups were unique they had some cultural proclivities and differences but at the end of the day they all wanted to sell they all wanted to grow they all wanted to support their family and they all wanted to take care of our honored guests in a big way I love them for it. They were great for you they were great for me and still great for everybody.
SPEAKER_01Well to that point though I think that goes back to what you're talking about in your book Human Connection and you do uh a chapter on that uh just talking about ship life etiquette and just how important it is to get along from people from all over the world and find some sort of common ground right well you know the the great uh poet Maya Angelou um she is very very famous uh for for the for these words you are more like my friend we are more alike my friends than we are unalike we are more alike my friends than we are unalike on any given cruise ship today there is going to be over 55 oh different nationalities all working in harmony to keep that big ship going and to keep the fund happening and to to keep the big wheel turning and keep the revenue moving.
SPEAKER_03You know it is a benevolent dictatorship uh the captain is known as the master of the vessel and he is that a lot of people just think he navigates the ship that's wrong he is the man or in this stay and age she is the boss because uh and we we do have some wonderful uh female captains uh in this stand age have worked their way uh up to to that wonderful position but the thing about it is is that um you know I a staff captain uh told me once that um if you fight you both go home if you steal we we're gonna put you in jail yeah you know I mean maybe you can work something out and then you know you bring the uh the illegal stuff on board then you're really in trouble you're going home or or you could be making a stop at the hooska before you even get there. So the fact of the matter is you have to behave. Now look you know and I know every ship's got a crew bar. Some of them are legendary I mean I'm alcohol free at this point in time uh my doctor tells me I have to and my doctor's right and my wife backs up my doctor so that makes a double right but come on when I think of the legendary parties that we had on board and the good times we had and the wonderful relationships we made and you know I'm still in contact with so many many of these folks I will say this social media uh has been fantastic for that it's put uh all of us uh in connection uh with each other and made it so easy to communicate that it really really is a blessing but on board the ship you better go along to get along or you're gonna go home yeah that's just the way it is you know the threat of that it uh keeps people in line there's always a few uh outliers and they learn very very quickly but you know what it makes people better yeah when you are exposed to all of these uh different um folks from different places like like we say in the book when I went on the crown uh crown princess um the port lecturer uh had an assistant uh as you know and I had a wonderful uh guy and he introduced me to all the Filipinos on board and the first thing he did is take me to the Filipino mess where the uh where as you know no rice no power two or three gigantic rice cookers laid out in in all of the Filipino cuisine that starts with adobo and and moves on from there. The thing about it is I learned about Filipino life. I learned a you know a few cursory uh phrases in Tagolog or Tagalog uh if you will but I learned that the Filipinos and I I think you'll agree with me we can't run the cruise ship industry without our Filipino friends. Oh for sure uh no and I mean if you've ever had a Filipino uh room steward or encountered them uh in the restaurants uh in in the buffets or or just around you you know how sweet they are and the and the cool thing is they all speak English because when the United States uh took over the Philippines in a colonial sense uh from the Spanish we put in a policy the United States invested a lot of money in the infrastructure of the Philippines and but one of the things and I don't know this may be a little controversial in today but it worked out beautifully for the Philippines is that you learn to golog at home when uh you know as you're growing up but once you go to school everything's taught in English so everybody in that country that great nation is basically bilingual so by having the gift of the English language and the tireless um work ethic and uh sweet personality uh the the Filipinos they run the ship uh the like a family staff captain does not have to do much you only have to deal with one gentleman and one lady the mother and the father if somebody's not doing right and then they'll take care of it. It's kind of a unique way that that things are handled. And with some of the ethnic groups it is done that way on board the ship. But the thing about it is in uh 2017 the good Lord blessed me I had never been married couple of uh um serious relationships uh over the years but for whatever reason never came to a marriage and I met a beautiful young lady uh Nicole and Idia on a blind date in 2017 love at first sight and we went through all of the legal machinations that we do a couple of visits to the Philippines and all the legal work you know you do uh with the immigration folks and all that business and we are married and that uh in uh 2019 and and and it has been a blessing but one thing my wife was really amazed at how much I knew about Filipino cuisine Filipino culture even a few uh fun words into Golog and everything like that and that goes back to my beautiful friends uh starting on the Crown Princess and all those many many ships that part of that culture and uh it's funny how things uh uh that happen earlier in your life come back to be of great benefit later in life and that has been a blessing to me so hey no rice no power right no rice no power so if you're at a uh uh party or something and someone was thinking about taking a cruise for the first time uh what would you say to them well okay uh this is what I would say to you uh depending on uh your um taste for for wild and crazy loud whatever if you are parents with children and you want to have a good time you cannot go wrong with Royal Caribbean Norwegian cruise line Disney cruise line uh the these are uh mass appeal cruise lines with water slides with it's loud there's all sorts of activity uh and uh if you want to go to to the probably the the most energetic of all that's gonna be Carnival without a doubt it is a floating party but but a good time it it's not the old carnival uh the discipline um uh has been uh enforced I know uh uh Christine Duffy the uh president of Carnival she's had enough of the nonsense you've got to behave yourself friends I'm telling you that right now but if you're uh if you're uh uh older and you like to have a little more elegance and you a little more peace and quiet and uh but but have all of the amenities and a good time you just cannot go wrong with the Holland America line uh you know celebrity cruise line is is very very good along those lines above that you have all your super premiums of course uh with that kind of a ticket it's going to be uh pretty much an adult cruise uh and and and and a little bit quieter but the thing is work with a good travel agent uh you know just going on the internet and and and sharpshooting a number you might disappoint yourself because every cruise ship is subtly different every cruise line is a different brand and every itinerary really makes a big difference even if if you're you know the Eastern Caribbean uh is is is quite a bit I mean it's a variation on a common theme but I've always found it to be more touristy and quiet than the Western Caribbean which I always found to be more active oriented so you know the thing about it is I I really am truly um a big big um fan of the the uh travel agents and go at a big time pro who knows everything they've got the leverage they've got the knowledge do some research because you can really really optimalize your experience by choosing correctly it's not just about fair it's about the experience as well do you have any uh insider information some uh tips for people who uh want to do some shopping when they're on a cruise yeah definitely uh one thing I can tell you Randy in all honesty there's a million things in this world that I don't know about but about this I know now if you're going to go out there and shop the first thing is you're just not shopping for jewelry or souvenirs or apparel or or what have you it's really the perfect evocative keepsake of a very memorable point in time in your life you'll remember that cruise forever. Every time you look at that Tanzanite ring whatever's happening that day you'll be transported back to the Caribbean or Alaska or old Mexico and you can enjoy some nice memories but there's a best way to achieve that memory and I am telling folks absolutely 100% when if you're gonna do some shopping and hey everybody is the first thing go to the recommended and guaranteed shopping presentation on board the ship conducted by your port and shopping guide. They're gonna give you the lay of the land they're gonna give you a recommended and guaranteed shopping map where every single merchant on that map has given the cruise line an ironclad guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity and workmanship so you can shop with confidence. That'll be pretty much on the first C Day. Then later in the afternoon they're gonna have a diamond and exotic gemstone seminar with the same port and shopping guide. Go to that event and learn about the four C's the color cut clarity and carrot weight about purchasing a diamond there's a wealth of information that they're gonna put forth to you to kind of get you in the ballgame. And then later that evening that port and shopping guide will have office hours they have their own little office set up somewhere and go to that person and say listen I attended the events I have the map I have my heart set on this and they and tell them this is my budget give me some guidance and they will do that. You tell them uh what's possible and and and they and they will tell you what you can achieve. Now I always say that the the numbers number three you want to check three different places because let's face it out of competition comes value. Go price those items in in in three of the you know make sure you go to the big guys and mix in a family merchant as well and see what's possible. And then you can make your decision don't go past three because honestly three is the number you're gonna have all the competition you need all the selection you need all the price points that you need to make your recommended and guaranteed selection. So do it that way and also when you come back to the ship show the port and shopping guide uh what you were able to achieve and have a little chit chat about it. If you do it that way I promise you you're gonna be satisfied. Where do people get your book? Well Sales to Success is available right now on Amazon KDP and it's also available on Barnes and Noblebooksellers dot com. And um there's a wealth of stories in the book and um I'm gonna take you behind the curtain a little bit we're gonna give you a little peek uh into the inside and I I I think it's uh valuable for all uh not only in vacationing uh but but uh some stories about what I've learned about life over these past 35 years. We hope everybody picks it up it's a good read and as you say it's uh it's not war and peace but uh it's uh it it's a quick read but it's a fun read and I think it's a valuable read and we just tell everybody everything adds up to one thing sales to success and maybe everything in life all comes down to the human connection.
SPEAKER_01And people can follow you as well on Facebook.
SPEAKER_03Yes we invite everybody to join us on our sales success and human connection uh Facebook page lots of features on there I have a little feature and then we uh just put it out there this week it's called Coffee with Rick. And we sit down and have a cup of coffee and answer uh in depth one of the questions that's submitted. And uh we're going to be doing that on a weekly basis so feel free to submit your question and perhaps you'll be featured. But there's a lot there uh we want to bond with people we want to make friends because after all Randy it's about the human connection.
SPEAKER_01It is about the human connection that is Rick Domansky uh author of his new book Sales to Success How a Cruise Ship Salesman turned jewelry stories and human connection into a life of adventure.
SPEAKER_03Randy uh I want to thank you for your friendship and I want to thank you for having me on and uh it's an outstanding podcast and hope to be with you sometime again in the future.
SPEAKER_01For sure Rick Debansky uh thank you very much sir see you later brother that is our show for this week if you have comments or questions we'd love to hear from you if you have a show idea then let along as well my email is brandy at theinformcrappers dot or t if you like what you're heard telephone you can check out our website too at freeinformcrappers.org in the meantime thanks for listening to crap safe and free informed crackelers